Plumbing fixture



H. ROTH PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed Mpy 8.

May 19, 1925.

May 19, 1925.

H. ROTH PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed May 8, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet Q.

'Iem'nan Rafal-L Patented May 19, 19275.

UNITEDr STATESl Y i HERMAN ROTH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

PLUMBING FIXTURE.

`.Application `led May 8, 1922. i Serial No. 559,303.

To all whom if may conce-m: i

.'Be it known that I, HERMAN ROTH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have inventednew andVv useful Improvements in Plumbing Fixtures, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain'new and yuseful improvements in plumbing fixtures and refers more particularly to what is generally termed a ush valve.

The present conventional type of flush valve consists of a hollow ball valve member closing the outlet of the supply tank and which, when raised by a suitable lever, floats in the waterV free of its seat until the tank supply is exhausted, the valve member then closing the outlet and being heldin such position by suction until-itis again manually actuated.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of my invention to provide a device `of the char-V acter described which is electrically actuated to permit its operation either at the tank or from a remote point.

v Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a. solenoid cooperating with an armature connected with thevalve member in sucha manner thatenergization of the solenoid unseats the valve member and jat the same time permits return 'of the armature to normal `position independent of the valve member. Y

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described having electrical means for moving the valve member to open position which means include a solenoid and an armathe armature in either direction being restricted and the armature being returned to its position permitting closing movement of the'valve by gravity. A i Y It is a further Aobject of this invention to provide a device of the character described whereby the upward limit of movement of the arma-ture is adjustably limited and whereby thesolenoid may be adjusted with respect tothe normal inactiveposition of the armature.

This invention has for a still further object to provide a deviceof the character described inwhich the outletpipe 0f the tank forms the core of the operating solenoid, the Varmature being preferably tubular to permit free flowage of fluid through the out- With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, myinvention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly deiinedby the appended claims, it being understood that such changes inthe recise embodiment of theV hereindisclosed invention may be made as comewithinthe scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment ofY my invention con-` structed accordi-ng to the best mode I have ,so far devised for the practical 'application of the'` principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective `view taken through the bottom wall of a flushv tank embodying my v invention, the valve member and its electrical operating mechanism being illustrated partly ,in section and partly in elevation;

Figure Qrisa transverse sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 2-2, and n Figure 3 1s awiew similar to Figure 1 of a slightly modified form of my invention.

\ Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals ydesignatelike parts throughout the lseveral views, the numeral 5 designates the'bottom wall of a flush tank provided with a bottom opening through which leads an outlet 6 1 surrounded by a valve. seat 7 jadapted to be normally closed by a valve member 8. The casting forming seatr has alug9 ,fromwhich extends a post or stand-v ture coperating. therewith, the movement `of of brass, or any other non-magnetic material, and .extends some distance beneath the tank bottom to form a core 14: fora solenoid or magnet coil 15, the outlet and coil being preferably secured in placevby a lock nut 16.

.As illustrated, suitable washers 17 are pro- .in Figures 1 and 2, outlet is constructed vided on each 'side of wall 5, surrounding the outlet opening, to prevent leakage of the fluid in thetank about the outlet.

Mounted within core 14 is an armature 18 of soft iron, or other magnetic material, the

armature being tubular and open at each end to permit unrestricted flowing of fluid through the outlet. The upper end of the armature is provided with a cross head'19 p carrying an'upwardly extended tubular rod 2O into which the lower end 2l of valve stem 13 projects, tube 2O yserving both as means for unseating ball valve 8 when the armature is attracted upwardly by energization of coil 15, as hereinafter described, and

as a guide for the valve.

The armature is normally positioned with its upper end disposed slightly beneath the center of the magnetic force of the solenoid, being held in this position by gravity with its lower end engaginga stop or limit 22.

Momentary energization of coil 15fwill instantly attract the armature upwardly to center its metal with respect to the center of the magnetic force of the solenoid unvseatingl valve 8. .By reason of the -valve member being hollow, it iioats vtree of seat 7 wheirthe armature fallsto its normal posivtion engaging ston 22 upon deenergization kof the solenoid and does not engage its seat until the water within the tank is exhausted. The stop arm 12 not only limits the upward V`movement of-,valve .8 butprovides a check, on the upward movement of the armature should it be too strong, as will be readily obvious.

In that Vform of my invention illustrated in Figure, the solenoid', 15 Vis. positioned within the interior of the tank and yis-carried by al casing 23 provided Awith -attach- 'ing arms 24 that ai'efsecured to post 1() by vadjustable means 25.? Thecore V26 of the .solenoid is tubular andformed of brass or other nonmagnetic material and Ais axially aligned with outlet- 6y and has ,slidable therein an armature 27 formed ofsoftiron,

or Aother magnet-ic materialh` through which freely slidably passesthe valve stem.V The upper end of the stem is bent over or pro- Yvided with a projection 218 topreveut its disengagement from the armature.

tion illustrated in Figures 1 andA 2, armature 27 is normally positioned with its upper end` slightly beneath ,the center of the solenoid 15,' this position being regulated by the adjustable arm 12 which also adjusts the upward movement ofthe armature and the ball 8, to prevent the throwing out*- wardly of the armature when the solenoid is energized, as would be the case were no stop provided. Stop 12, as well as arms 24, are adjustable to regulate the position of the solenoid with respect to its armature in order that the amount ot pull exerted may be varied.

That I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device oi the character described, an outlet pipe, a magnet coil wound therearound, the outlet pipe forming a tubular core "for the coil, a valve inem-ber controlling the flow or' fluid through the pipe. an armature slidable in the pipe, a guide carried by the armature, and a guide carried by the valve memberand enen fred wtlithe armature carried guide, said guides forming a connection between the armature and valve member whereby energization of the magnet coil will cause the armature to actuate the valve member. e Y l 2. In a device of the character described,

an outlet pipe, a magnet coil Wound theiearound, the outlet pipe Jforming .a tubular core i'or the coil,k a valve member controlling theiiow of fluid through the pipe, an armature slidable in the pipe, a guide carried by the armature, and a guide carriedby the,

valve member and engaged withVv the armature carried guide, said guides forming a connection betweenpthe. armature and valve Y member whereby energization of the Vmagnet coil will cause the armature to actuate the valve member, the 'guides permitting return of the armature to its normal inactive position independent ofthe valve member.

3. In avdevice of the character described, an outletpipe ofA non-magnetic material, a valve seat at the receiving end of the outlet pipe, a magnet coilfwoundaiound thek outlet pipe using the outlet pipe as acore, an armature long fitudinally` movable in the pipe and normally disposed beneath the center of force of said magnet coil and adapted to be moved jupwardly upon energization of the coil, a valve member engageablev with the valve seat to control the fiow of Huid through the pipe, and a slidableconnection between the armature kand valve member whereby the armature disengages the valve from its seat upon energization ofthe coil and the armature is returned to itsnormal position beneath .the center of force of said magnet coil upon deenergization of the coil by force of gravity and the discharge of v water through the outlet pipe.

. 4. In a device of thecharacter described, an outlet pipe of non-magnetic material, a

lvalve seat at the receiving end of the outlet pipe, a magnet coil wound around the outlet pipe and employing the same as a core, "an armature longitudinally movable' in the pipe and-normally disposed beneath the center of force of said'magnet coil and adapted n? un) to be moved upwardly upon energization of the coil, a valve member engageable with the valve seat to control the flow of fluid through the pipe, a slidable connection between the armature and valve member whereby the armature disengages the valve from its seat upon energization of the coil and free movement apart of the `armature in thev valve is permitted upon deenergization of the coil, and means limit-ing the opening movementof the valve member and armature.

3. In a device of the character described, an-outlet, a valve member normally closing the outlet, a magnet coil, an armature adapted to be attracted by the coil upon energization, Vand a connectio-n between the lvalve member and the armaturewhereby the latter ymoves the valve member to open position upon energization of the magnet coil, and means permitting the `ready return of the armature to normal position independent of the valve memberupon the deenergization of the magnet coil.

6. In a device of the character described, a tank, an outlet leading therefrom and provided with a valve seat, a buoyant valve member normallylheld in engagement with the seat to close the outlet by the pressure `enerted by the fluid in thetank, a magnet coil, an armature, said armature normally resting in an inactive position and being moved therefrom by energizat-ion of the Ymagnet coil, means operable to move the gaging the seat after actuation of the arma- Y ture `by its own buoyancy until the tank is substantially emptied of its contents, and

means permitting the ready return of the armature to normal position independent of the valvemember, whereby the magnet coi] may be substantially instantly deenergized upon actuation of the armature. 4

7. A device of the class described including an outlet pipe, a valve normally closing said pipe, a magnet coil positioned in axial alignment with said pipe, an armature for said coil, said armature adapted to move within said coil upon the energizationof the same to move the valve from its seat, and said armature adapted to'return to its normal position upon the comple-tion of such movement of the valve.V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature Y HERMAN ROTH. 

